BJP Distances Itself from Assault on Sambhaji Brigade Leader

Maharashtra Revenue Minister and BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday firmly denied any party involvement in the attack on Pravin Gaikwad, founding member of the Sambhaji Brigade, following his alleged remarks on Swami Samarth. The incident, which occurred in Akkalkot, Solapur district, on Sunday, saw Gaikwad manhandled and doused with black ink by members of the Shivdharm Foundation, led by Deepak Kate, a reported BJP Yuva Morcha office-bearer.

Bawankule, addressing media amid circulating photos of him with Kate, stated, “The BJP has no connection with the attack on Gaikwad. Such actions are not in our ethos.” He condemned Kate’s actions, asserting, “An accused is an accused, regardless of party affiliation,” and urged against politicizing the incident. BJP MLC Parinay Fuke echoed this, criticizing opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar and Sushma Andhare for alleging BJP’s involvement, calling it a biased narrative.

The assault stemmed from objections to Gaikwad’s reference to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj as “Sambhaji” and his alleged remarks on Swami Samarth, a revered 19th-century saint believed to be a reincarnation of Shree Dattatreya. Protesters from the Shivdharm Foundation demanded the Sambhaji Brigade rename itself “Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Brigade.” Gaikwad, a prominent Maratha leader, claimed the attack was an attempt on his life due to his “progressive thoughts” and likened it to the murders of activists like Dabholkar and Pansare.

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Police detained Kate and six others under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for rioting but released them after issuing notices. Gaikwad, who was in Akkalkot for a felicitation event by Fattesingh Shikshan Sanstha and Sakal Maratha Samaj, alleged a conspiracy and held Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis responsible for security lapses. Opposition leaders, including NCP (SP) MP Amol Kolhe and Jitendra Awhad, condemned the attack as a planned assault on progressive ideology.

The Sambhaji Brigade, named after Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, has a history of controversy, notably for vandalizing the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in 2004 over a book by James Laine deemed offensive to Shivaji Maharaj.

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